What are 2x2 tables used for in diagnostic studies?

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A 2x2 table in diagnostic studies cross-tabulates the test result (positive or negative) with the reference standard result (disease present or absent). This setup shows how the test agrees with the gold standard in four cells: true positives, false positives, false negatives, and true negatives. From these counts you can calculate sensitivity (how well the test detects disease among those who truly have it) and specificity (how well it identifies non-diseased individuals). You can also derive predictive values and likelihood ratios, which depend on how common the disease is in the tested population. So the table provides a clear view of both agreement with the reference standard and the test’s overall accuracy. Time-to-event data, correlations between continuous variables, and subgroup analyses address different concepts, not this cross-tabulation framework.